Sprayer system

Abstract

A sprayer system for spraying liquid to fall on a desired area of ground includes a reservoir for storing a liquid and a pump adapted to draw the liquid from the reservoir. At least one operative nozzle is adapted to spray at least some of the liquid drawn from the reservoir by the pump onto the ground. A valve continuously varies the amount of the drawn liquid being supplied by the pump to the nozzle, and a flow-rate meter continuously measures the actual amount of liquid being supplied by the pump to the nozzle. A controller is operatively attached to the flow-rate meter and the valve, and includes a user input for entering a constant value corresponding to a preselected amount of liquid to be sprayer system over a preselected area. The controller is adapted to continuously determine the vehicle's rate of travel, and calculate the amount of liquid that must be supplied to the nozzle based on that rate to distribute evenly the preselected amount of liquid over the preselected area. The controller is also constructed to receive a signal from the flow-rate meter indicating the actual amount of liquid being supplied to the nozzle, to compare the calculated amount of liquid to the actual amount of liquid, and to adjust the valve automatically to vary the actual amount of liquid being supplied so that it is equal to the calculated amount of liquid that must be supplied.

1 . A sprayer system for spraying liquid to fall on a desired area of ground, comprising: 
 a reservoir for storing a liquid;    a pump adapted to draw the liquid from the reservoir;    at least one operative nozzle adapted to spray at least some of the liquid drawn from the reservoir by the pump onto the ground;    a valve adapted to vary continuously the amount of the drawn liquid being supplied by the pump to the nozzle;    a flow-rate meter adapted to continuously measure the amount of liquid being supplied by the pump to the nozzle; and    a controller operatively attached to the flow-rate meter and the valve, and including a user input for entering a constant value corresponding to a preselected amount of liquid to be evenly distributed by the sprayer system over a preselected area of the ground.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is constructed with a determiner for continuously determining the vehicle's rate of travel, a calculator for continuously calculating the amount of liquid that must be supplied to the nozzle based on the vehicle's rate of travel to distribute evenly the preselected amount of liquid over the preselected area of ground, a receiver for continuously receiving a signal from the flow-rate meter indicating the actual amount of liquid being supplied to the nozzle, a comparer for continuously comparing the amount of liquid that must be supplied to the actual amount of liquid being supplied, and an adjustor for automatically adjusting the valve to vary the actual amount of liquid being supplied so that it is equal to the amount of liquid that must be supplied.